INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 10987, 3 August 1897, Page 2

INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER.

One sad feature, says a Press Association message, ia that the bodioi so far recovered on the Gisborue beach are all ■towards, these bravo fellows having remained on th» deck of the ntdamer to tho very last providing for the w,ant« of the passangers ia the boats, and An.stoad of Bom 9of them talcing their stations in tha larger boats they bud to find places in the small craf t,which were the last to be filled, and which, it would neen, had scarcely a sufficient proportion of able soaman. Tho same remark applies to the boat found at Muriwai, in which, besides the carpenter there was only one seaman (McNellie), who, when the others becumo exhausted, had to carry on alon» the work of navigation, and, single-handed, brought the dingy to within two chains of the shore, whera sho capsized, and wber« he was killed, evidently by striking the rock*, for ha bears uoon his brow their cruel marks. The officers are pretty certain that no one was left on the ship. The stewards took all care about that, going round the ship, and several officers and man did the same, whilst McGee also had a good inspection before leaving. He wag tho last to leave the ship, and only did so after being prense^ by his officers and told the ship was silking. All the people are unanimous in their praiso of the conduct of two ladies, whose names they soy deserve special mentionMrs Milne and Miss May Thomson — who did splendid service in cheering the men during their trying time in the boats. Wellington, August 3. — Mrs Hunter, stewardess, denies the statement that a baby was born on the day of the wreck. Oae lady was very ill and Mr* Hunter sat up with her all night, but thero was no baby. SENSATIONAL SEIZURE OF A ■ SHIP AT MELBOUBNE. « ALLEGED BREACH ©F COSTOMS ACT. [HER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] -Melbourne, August 3.— A sensational seizure of & chip by Custom ©fficen occurred _ yesterday at f.ho Victoria dock. The sup Phos, from Hamburg, was being searched and tho case Boon developed into one of s«riou< magnitude. A great quantity of spirits and tobacco was found concealed all Over the vessel in pantries and bins, and on the top dressing floor wer« found some two hundred bottlo» of brandy and whiskey and some tobacco. A largo water tank was packed with bottles of spirits. A large box of provisions was stored with spirits and tobacco underneath a layer of potatoes. The saloon contained a couple of cabinets in a corn or and behind wera piles of match boxes packed with tobacco and cigars. In the captain's quarters the places of concealment were ingenious. The walls were panelled and covered with lookingglasses. TSehind thesu were large receptacles filled with bottles of spirits. The chief officer's cabin had similar plants between the panels and the ship's side. Six lorry loads have been removed, and there are still several loads to be carried away. Captain Johnson explains that the goods undeclared were intended for a friend engaged ia the copra trade at the Islands.